


Emma Shem'nan

by I_Write_Tragedies_Not_Sins



Series: The Way of Thedas one shots [6]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-06-07
Packaged: 2018-07-12 16:00:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7112710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Write_Tragedies_Not_Sins/pseuds/I_Write_Tragedies_Not_Sins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little backstory on Velanna, her clan, and the attack that drove her to her banishment from her clan. "Emma Shem'nan"- My Revenge is Swift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Emma Shem'nan

**Author's Note:**

> This one-shot is part of the series "The Forgotten Bard Tales" and the bulk of it happens just prior to "A Trial of Faith".
> 
> In this universe the Sabrae clan, instead of going to Kirkwall to escape the Blight, go the Wending Woods. The why is not important in this story, though if you're curious, Ar Lath Ma in particular should give you a complete picture. The child mentioned is Maroth Tabris' daughter, given to the Sabrae clan by Tabris for safe keeping as he runs from Vaughn's men. (A Smuggler's Chant) 
> 
> Secondly, I have scoured the wiki and found nothing on Velanna's clan. So, I made it up. Future canon might contradict it, but this will always be my hc for this particular universe. The clan mates and clan name are all created by me. If you have wish to use them, please just ask first and give credit. 
> 
> This is a short, vignette styled piece intended to show more about Velanna and show her relationship with Merrill as a set-up for their characters both being in my version of Dragon Age Awakening (A Trial of Faith). It is a/u, but hopefully still stays true to the characters we knew from the game while still giving a deeper, different look at them.
> 
> Cover art is done by Milkytwilight.deviantart.com She is brilliant and has done so much work for me. She's also such a kind and sweet person to work with, and one of my dearest friends. Love you, girl!
> 
> Dadau is a welsh word for father, according to google translate. It may not be 100% but I'm using it for Elvish since we know "mamae" is mother.

### 

 

Wrinkled hands reach for her, pulling her harshly out of the way of a charging wolf. Saliva drips from the beast's fangs as her heart races beneath her chest. "Mamae!" Velanna cries out the word, tears and snot rolling down her chin as the wolf leaps onto her mother instead, teeth tearing through her throat as blood splatters across her vision.

"Mamae!" She calls out for her mother again, but she never answers. Bright red stains across the show covered forest floor as the bitter wind blows Velanna's long blonde hair around her face.

A loud cry peirces the air. Tiny fists flalil in the air as Seranni wails from her tiny basket. The wolf turns, eyes hungry, as it stalks toward the basket. Velanna can feel her pulse in her throat, fluttering madly like a trapped butterfly. She has to protect her sister. Mamae is gone, and dadau died of sickness last year. Seranni has no one left to protect her. "Seranni," she screams, chubby hand reaching toward her sister.

Fire flies from her fingertips, catching the wolf's fur. Smoke and burning meat fill her nostrils as she stumbles back in surprise. Her foot slips in the snow and she falls, landing hard on her butt. Confusion is a thick fog in her brain as whispers echo in her ears.  _Let us, tiny mageling, and we will kill the wolf for you. Let us in, and we will save you._

"No," she whispers, staring down at her hands with fear. 

The wolf howls, loud and long, into the morning air, muzzle pointed toward the sun and sky. Its eyes seem to dance with wickedness as it lunges toward her. She throws up her arms, fear making bile rise in her throat, only to hear it yelp in pain. Her eyes fly open as lightening crackles in the still of the air. Keeper Ilshae stands before her, long black hair flying free in the wind, eyes narrowed with rage as she strikes the beast with her magic again.

The wolf lets out one final whimper before dying, fur melted away to leave nothing but scorched flesh and bones. Velanna scrambles over on her hands and knees to her mother, the cold snow biting into her palms. "Mamae, ir abelas, mamae," she cries, burying her face into her mother's ruined armour. 

A gentle hand rests on her shoulder. She sniffs, looking up into Keeper Ilshae's grey blue eyes. "Let's go home, da'len. I have much to teach you," she whispers, sorrow in her gaze.

Velanna looks toward her sister, Seranni, her only family left. She takes a deep breath before nodding, tears falling to mingle with the red snow. 

 

~*~*~

 

The Keeper's books smell of dust and age, pages worn from time and use. She studies the strange words, elvish that her people cling to with pride. She struggles to understand each word, their meanings as the sentences meander across the page. 

The book tumbles to the ground as Seranni tugs at her arm. "Come, play with us," she pleads, eyes twinkling with joy. 

Velanna frowns, the corners of her mouth turning down as she pulls her arm from her sister's grasp. "I'm busy, Seranni," she grumbles, bending low to pick up the book.

"You're always busy," Seranni points out. "Isn't it boring?"

Velanna shakes her head, eyes finally lighting up. "Nay, sister. There's so much of our people's history, lost to us. The Keeper is teaching me so that I can learn the same magic and history she knows."

"You want to be Keeper, don't you?" Seranni asks, tone bordering on accusation.

Velanna shrugs, her braided hair slung over her shoulder. "I want to try," she admits.

Seranni sighs, the short puff of air making her lips form a pout. "Alun is studying to do the same, and  _he_ still plays with us."

"Then go play with Alun," Velanna snaps. "I don't have time for childish nonsense."

Gil'nan, eyes shining with annoyance, comes and grabs Seranni's hand. "Come on, your sister isn't any fun anyway," he mutters, glaring at her as he tugs Seranni away.

Velanna scoffs to herself. She tries to convince herself it doesn't matter what her clanmates think of her  _now._ The only way to protect them is by studying, becoming a better mage, and learning their history so she can share it with them.

 

~*~*~

 

Sweat trails down her brow as she focuses her mana, aiming her fire spell at the target Illshae has set up. She lets a small smile curve her lips when it hits the mark perfectly. She looks over at Alun's target. The lower half is scorched through, but his aim is off and he's missed the upper portion. She smirks at him as his lower lip trembles. "Too bad, Alun. At least you tried," she says, cursing herself the moment the words leave her mouth. She doesn't mean to sound so harsh, so condescending. The words always slip out before she's had time to think.

Another boy, with longer light red hair and eyes like the highest tree leaves, storms over. His chest is bare and vallaslin lines his body as well as his face. He curls his lip at Velanna before placing a hand on Alun's head, ruffling the boy's short brown hair. "Don't listen to her, lathallin," he whispers. "You did just fine."

Velanna rolls her eyes, straightening her shoulders. "He missed the target, Ianto," she replies. 

"He hit half of it," he shoots back between gritted teeth.

"Because that was the goal, right?" Velanna asks, smirking again.

Keeper Ilshae smacks the ground with her staff. "That is enough. Ianto, Alun, you may both leave. Velanna, I wish to speak with you," she says, voice low.

 Velanna shifts her toe in the dirt, knowing that the Keeper is about to give her a lecture. Ilshae, I-" she begins, but is cut off with a stern glare.

"You must learn to get along with your clan mates, da'len. A Keeper must be respected and liked if they are to lead their clan." Her tone is firm, but gentle, and Velanna's heart leaps.

"Does that mean I will be your First?" she asks, eyes sparkling with joy.

Ilshae frowns, arms crossing over her flat chest. "Velanna," she warns, eyes narrowing into slits.

Velanna sighs. "I know, I know. I just don't relate to them. I'd rather study our history and they engage in such childish behaviour."

"That is a fine attitude to have," she replies, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Go on, I can see there is no use talking to you right now. Go bury yourself in my books again. We'll talk again later."

 

~*~*~

 

Velanna frowns as she watches her sister sneak along the edges of the camp's borders, a smile on her face. Her vallaslin is still fresh, and it stings her face as she follows her sister. She watches with wide eyes as Seranni hides behind a tree, letting out a soft whistle that sounds like a mockingbird's cry. 

Crunching leaves alert Velanna someone is nearby and she ducks down, hiding. 

"Gil'nan," her sister whispers, tone soft.

 _Gil'nan? The halla keeper's apprentice?_ Velanna peeks around the tree, and is shocked by what she sees. The moonlight paints a soft glow over her sister, wrapped in Gil'nan's embrace. The stars twinkle over his head, smooth and free of hair, and his dark blue eyes are lidded as he kisses her.

Velanna turns, walking back toward the camp. Her heart feels heavy as loneliness creeps in. What she wouldn't give to have someone look at her the way Gil'nan looks at Seranni.

 

~*~*~

 

Pain and joy mingle together in Velanna's heart as she watches Seranni and Gil'nan take their bonding vows. Hands twining together, bound by a love that feels to Velanna as elusive as their forgotten history. Seranni laughs as Gil'nan stumbles over his vows, cheeks red, and kisses him prematurely. Their joy spreads through the clan, tangible and infectious. 

The celebration that follows is loud and boisterous but Velanna clings to the edges, watching but not a part of. She's never felt a part of anything, not even this. The happiness of her clan is palpable but it hovers in the air just outside her reach, try as she might to grab hold and bring it near.

A tear rolls down her cheek as she turns away, unable to bear the loneliness that tears at her. It's her own fault, for not understand them better, not knowing how to talk to them. She climbs into her aravel, the one she once shared with Seranni after their mamae had died, and curls up with a book. The words blur on the page as she cries, only the smell of the dusty tome bringing her any comfort at all.

 

~*~*~

 

Keeper Ilshae stands still, a smile turning her lips in a warm greeting. "Andaran atish'an, Keeper Marethari. Clan Sabrae is welcome here," she replies, dipping her head toward the woman with dark grey hair and golden eyes. "This is my First, Velanna. May you find your welcome among are clan as warm as the summer days."

"Ma serannas," Keeper Marethari replies, bowing low. This is my First, Merrill. May our two clans form good bonds during our time together and may the blight's path never reach us."

Velanna watches Merrill through narrow eyes. Her hair is short, tied in little braids, and her bright green eyes are wide and expressive. A small child clings to her hand, blonde hair in pigtails and a thumb in her mouth.  _She's beautiful_ , Velanna thinks to herself.

 

~*~*~

 

The books weigh heavily in Velanna's arms as she struggles to carry them. Keeper Marethari has lent them to her, or rather to Ilshae, to read while their clan shares the Wending Woods with them.

"You're Velanna, right? I'm Merrill, though you probably already know that. Those books are heavy, you should let me help before they fall," she says, barely taking a breath between words as she reaches for the stack of books.

Velanna narrows her eyes. "I'm fine," she snaps. The words barely leave her mouth as they all come tumbling down, landing in the dirt with an embarrassing crash.

Merrill giggles softly. "It's okay if I help now?" she asks, voice lilting and soft.

She grunts, bending down to pick up two of the larger tomes. "If you must."

Merrill nods, grabbing the remaining three, and follows her to her aravel. "Oh, what a lovely aravel. Much nicer than mine. Smells nicer, too. Do you burn incense in here? I tried that once and caught the whole thing on fire. The Keeper was furious and I still can't get the smell of charred wood out," she says, placing the books down.

Velanna stares at her a moment, dumbfounded, before letting out a short laugh. "I usually burn the incense just outside the aravel, so the smell wafts in," she admits. 

Merrill blushes. "Oh. Right. That would be the smart thing to do, wouldn't it? Silly of me. The Keeper says I spend too much time reading, and not enough time paying attention to my surroundings," she replies, a soft blush colouring her thin cheeks.

"Books are easier. They don't talk," Velanna quips.

The other girl lets out a laugh that tinkles like the bells on Ilshae's aravel. "That is true. Much easier to hold a conversation if no one else is talking back. I like you. Can I come by again to study with you? I'll bring more books."

Velanna nods, her own cheeks turning bright red as Merrill walks away. 

 

~*~*~

 

The weeks pass by into months as the two clans continue to live together, roaming the Wending Woods. News of the Blight reaches them, but the taint and sickness never quite touches them. Food is surprisingly plentiful, and but whispers of human anger reaches their ear. Too many elves in one area has them nervous, fear and paranoia running hot through their shemlen veins.

But the moments spent with Merrill bring Velanna peace. Acceptance, something she's never truly known, flows from Merrill like a warm blanket in the darkest of winter days. She wraps her arms around her, pulling her near the fire to dance. Velanna's never taken part in the merriment like her clan, always watching from afar as the others dance and laugh and drink.

Tonight, she dances. Her hands brush against Merrill's as they pass each other, the moon casting a soft glow against the snow covered ground. Laughter bubbles up from her throat, a sound she's not used to hearing from herself. 

Later, after the noise has died down and most have drifted off to sleep, she grabs Merrill's hand. She pulls the dark haired elf away from the dying embers, to her aravel. Their eyes meet and Velanna presses a soft kiss against Merrill's cheek. "Ma serannas, lethallan," she whispers, emotions she can barely describe forming in her heart.

Merrill's eyes light up as she turns her face, pressing her lips to Velanna's in a kiss.  _Her first kiss._ Velanna parts her lips, gripping Merrill's shoulders as she sucks in a sharp breath. "Ma vhenan," Merrill whispers, and Velanna's heart skips a beat as she leads her inside the aravel.

When the morning comes, and Merrill is still there, Velanna's heart rises with joy even as she knows Ilshae will disapprove. Merrill's a woman, and two women can't produce children. Their people are so few, that children are important. Being able to have children is vital. She knows this. Deep in her heart, she knows this.

But she doesn't care.

 

~*~*~

 

Blood coats the snow as the wind whips bitter flurries around her face, stinging her skin. She howls her rage and grief to the sky, pain tearing at her heart as she stares at the corpses of her clan mates.

So many dead. A group of humans had snuck into their camp while everyone was sleeping. So many died before they woke up and were able to fight back. Velanna's eyes turn to Seranni, who kneels next to the body of Gil'nan.

Seranni's sobs rack her body as she clings to her husband, screaming and crying and praying all at once. The pain her sister feels reaches Velanna, burning into her heart as she sobs. Merrill kneels down next to her, taking her hand, eyes hollow. "I can't believe... Why would they do this? We've hurt no one, why would they attack us?" her lover asks, voice wavering.

Velanna grits her teeth, heart hardening as she squeezes Merrill's fingers. "I don't care why. I will find them all and see that they breath no more," she whispers, fury making her heart pound.

 

~*~*~

 

"You are a _coward_." Velanna spits the words at Ilshae, anger biting along her skin. "You fear the shemlens."

Ilshae keeps her head held high, stubborn to the last. "Your revenge will solve nothing, da'len. All it will do is cause more pain."

"Then we should just kill them all!"

Ilshae frowns, wrinkled face showing how tired she feels. "No, da'len. We could not hope to win such a battle. Death is not solved with more death."

"Then I'll do it myself," Velanna says, gripping her staff in her hand until her knuckles turn white with her rage. "I don't need your help."

Ilshae lets out a sigh, shoulders finally sagging. "If you do this, da'len, do not come back. You will only bring more trouble for us."

Keeper Marethari steps forward, lips pressed in a hard line. "We will go as well. It is our being here that caused this in the first place. We will go to Kirkwall, far from your clan so that perhaps you can find peace, my friend."

Ilshae nods, clasping hands with the other Keeper. "Dareth shiral, Keeper Marethari."

Velanna spins on her heal, hurrying to her aravel. _Ilshae wants her gone? Then fine, she'll go. She never belonged here anyway._ Angry tears prick her eyes and she brushes them hastily away. _Fools. Can't they see she's doing this for them? For the ones they lost? Cowards._

A soft hand rests on her shoulder. She turns, lip wavering, and meets Merrill's eyes. "Lethallan," she whispers.

Merrill embraces her, holding her close. "I- I told the Keeper I was leaving," Merrill says, face buried into the crook of her neck. "I don't think you should seek out the humans, but I can't let you go alone. The Keeper says if we survive, we can go to Kirkwall. You'll be welcome in Clan Sabrae. Please, can I come with you?"

Velanna's lip part in surprise, eyes widening as she clings to her lover. She nods, gripping Merrill's tunic in her hands. "Ma serannas, lethallan, mas serannas."

 

~*~*~

 

Seranni's distant anger gnaws at Velanna's heart as they wander the Wending Wood, apart from their clan. Few had joined them. Ianto is here, always glaring and seldom speaking. He too, had lost his mate. Nerys, hair cropped close to her head, roasts some meat over the fire. She used to smile and sing, always ready to offer a kind word to anyone who spoke to her. Now, her heart is filled with a bitterness that closes her off from their small group. Aerona, her aging face scarred from battles. She's here for the same reason as Seranni, to convince them to give up this plan and return to the clan. Alun stayed behind, to take her place as First.  _They never needed you anyway._ Those words run through her mind, but she pushes them away, refusing to give in to the despair and the whispers of the demons that claw at her mind.

But Velanna refuses, stubbornly marching ahead, Merrill at her side, seeking out the shemlen who had dared attack them. She knows, deep in her heart, that her anger will never subside. Her thirst for revenge never quenched. Not until the blood of every shemlen runs free.

 


End file.
